The
nomination forms for the Sixth Annual National School Change Awards are now
available from the awards co-sponsors; the American Association of School
Administrators (AASA), the Fordham University Graduate School of Education, and
Pearson Education.The purpose of the
award is to recognize schools across America that have made significant
positive changes.Potential awardees
must meet certain criteria related to school change set by the co-sponsors in
the following four dimensions:1) how
meaningful is the change; 2) how deep and broad is the change; 3) how is the
change focused; and 4) how is the change measured.

To assist
schools in Virginia that may be interested in applying for the award, the
Virginia Department of Education will provide a one-hour audio technical
assistance workshop on March 4, 2005, from 11 a.m. 12 noon.Ms. Hilda Puryear, principal of Chase
Elementary School, Chase City, Virginia, and winner of the Second Annual
National School Change Award in July 2001 will discuss her successful approach
in receiving a change award during the workshop. Department staff will also be
available to provide additional assistance for school divisions. The call-in
number for the audio workshop is (800) 337-3137 and the pass code is
#2870.

Six National
School Change Award winners are selected in the spring of each academic
year.The winners will receive: 1) an
award ceremony conducted at their school; 2) a $5,000 grant; 3) national
recognition and coverage by the media; 4) subsidized participation of the
schools principal in the Eighth Annual National Principals Leadership
Institute; 5) an award presentation by the United States Department of
Education in New York City; and 6) participation in a major national research
project focusing on school change.

The deadline
for submission of applications is April 1, 2005.A copy of the application to submit a nomination for a school in
your school division is available at:

Attachment A
contains a response form for the audio conference to be returned by fax on or
before March 2, 2005, to Diane Jay, educational specialist, at (804) 371-7347.The form contains a place for you to list
questions you would like addressed at the workshop.If you need additional information, please contact Ms. Jay at Diane.Jay@doe.virginia.gov or at
(804) 225-2905.